In-line roller skate having reinforcing structure

ABSTRACT

A roller skate includes a roller frame having a pair of walls, and one or more plates secured between upper portions of the walls, a number of wheels are rotatably secured between the walls, the walls of the roller frame each includes a forwardly extending arm having an upper portion and a middle portion, a frontmost wheel is rotatably secured between the arms, and a reinforcing panel is secured between the arms and includes an inner peripheral surface having a curvature similar to a curvature of an outer peripheral portion of the frontmost wheel, to reinforce the arms, and to prevent the frontmost wheel from being contacted with the reinforcing panel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a roller skate, and more particularly to an in-line roller skate having a reinforcing structure to reinforce the wheel device.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] Typical roller skates comprise a roller frame to which a number of wheels are attached. The roller frame includes a pair of walls and a chamber formed between the walls for rotatably receiving the wheels. Some of the roller frames may include one or more ribs or bars coupled between the walls to reinforce the roller frame.

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,740 to Lin discloses one of the typical in-line roller skates and comprises a number of ribs or bars coupled between the side walls 11 of the roller frame. However, the ribs or bars are not parallel to the wheels and may contact with the wheels when great forces are applied onto the wheels.

[0006] Particularly, for the sport in-line roller skates for speeding purposes, great forces may be applied onto the front wheel, and will then applied onto the roller frame. However, the typical sport in-line roller skates have no suitably reinforced roller frame for reinforcing purposes.

[0007] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional roller skates.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a roller skate including a reinforcing structure to suitably reinforce the wheel device.

[0009] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a roller skate comprising a roller frame including a pair of walls each having an upper portion, and including at least one plate secured between said upper portions of said walls, to define a chamber between the walls and the at least one plate, a plurality of wheels are received in the chamber of the roller frame and rotatably secured between the walls, the walls of the roller frame each includes an arm extended forwardly therefrom and having an upper portion, a frontmost wheel is rotatably secured between the arms of the walls of the roller frame, and a reinforcing panel is secured between the arms and includes an inner peripheral surface having a curvature similar to a curvature of an outer peripheral portion of the frontmost wheel, to reinforce the arms, and to prevent the frontmost wheel from being contacted with the reinforcing panel.

[0010] The arms each includes a middle portion, the reinforcing panel is extended from the upper portions of the arms toward the middle portions of the arms.

[0011] Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a roller frame for a roller skate in accordance with the present invention;

[0013]FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial plan view of the roller frame of the roller skate;

[0014]FIG. 3 is a side schematic view of the roller skate; and

[0015]FIGS. 4, 5 are side schematic views similar to FIG. 3, illustrating the operation of the roller frame of the roller skate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0016] Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a roller skate in accordance with the present invention comprises a roller frame 2 for supporting a boot 3 (FIGS. 3-5) thereon, and a number of wheels 4 to be rotatably secured to the roller frame 2.

[0017] The roller frame 2 includes a pair of parallel walls 20, and one or more plates 21 bridged or secured between the upper portions 29 of the walls 20, to form or define a chamber 22 within the roller frame 2 or between the walls 20 and the plates 21.

[0018] The walls 20 of the roller frame 2 include a number pairs of orifices 23 formed therein for receiving pivot shafts 24 (FIGS. 3-5) to which the wheels 4 are rotatably secured thereon. The wheels 4 may thus be rotatably secured between the walls 20 of the roller frame 2 with the pivot shafts 24 respectively.

[0019] The walls 20 of the roller frame 2 each includes an extension or an arm 25 extended forwardly therefrom, and each having one of the orifices 23 formed therein for rotatably securing the frontmost wheel 40 between the arms 25 with the pivot shaft 24.

[0020] The roller frame 2 includes a reinforcing panel 27 bridged or secured between the arms 25, and having an inner peripheral surface 28 facing toward the frontmost wheel 40. The inner peripheral surface 28 of the reinforcing panel 27 includes an inner diameter “R” greater than the outer diameter “r” of the wheel 4, 40, best shown in FIG. 2.

[0021] As also best shown in FIG. 2, the inner peripheral surface 28 of the reinforcing panel 27 preferably includes a curvature equals to or similar to or corresponding to the curvature of the outer peripheral portion 41 of the wheel 4, 40, for reinforcing the arms 25 and the roller frame 2, and for preventing the frontmost wheel 40 from being contacted with the reinforcing panel 27 when great forced are applied onto the frontmost wheel 40 (FIGS. 4, 5).

[0022] It is preferable that the reinforcing panel 27 is extended from the upper portion 29 toward the intermediate or inner or middle portions of the arms 25, and need not to be extended toward the bottom portions of the arms 25.

[0023] In operation, as shown in FIGS. 3-5, while skating, great forces may be applied onto the frontmost wheel 40, and then may be applied onto the arms 25 and the roller frame 2. The reinforcing panel 27 that includes a curvature similar to or corresponding to the curvature of the outer peripheral portion 41 of the wheel 4, 40, may suitably distribute the forces, and may thus suitably reinforce the arms 25 and the roller frame 2, to prevent the frontmost wheel 40 from being contacted with the reinforcing panel 27.

[0024] Accordingly, the roller skate in accordance with the present invention includes a reinforcing panel to suitably reinforce the arms of the roller frame, and to prevent the frontmost wheel 40 from being contacted with the reinforcing panel.

[0025] Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

I claim:
 1. A roller skate comprising: a roller frame including a pair of walls each having an upper portion, and including at least one plate secured between said upper portions of said walls, to define a chamber between said walls and said at least one plate, a plurality of wheels received in said chamber of said roller frame and rotatably secured between said walls, said walls of said roller frame each including an arm extended forwardly therefrom and having an upper portion, a frontmost wheel rotatably secured between said arms of said walls of said roller frame, and a reinforcing panel secured between said arms, and including an inner peripheral surface having a curvature similar to a curvature of an outer peripheral portion of said frontmost wheel, to reinforce said arms, and to prevent said frontmost wheel from being contacted with said reinforcing panel.
 2. The roller skate as claimed in claim 1, wherein said arms each includes a middle portion, said reinforcing panel is extended from said upper portions of said arms toward said middle portions of said arms. 